This invention relates generally to strap devices. More particularly, this invention relates to straps made using parts of seat belts and to a method for recycling seat belts in the manufacture of straps.
Conventional straps including straps for musical instruments, such as guitars, desire improvement in that they often have relatively low aesthetic appeal and other shortcomings. One shortcoming is that guitar straps made from all new materials have an undesirable environmental impact.
Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved strap system and, in particular, to a strap suitable for use with musical instruments such as guitars.
A further object of the invention is to provide a strap of the character described having improved aesthetics as compared to conventional straps.
Another object of the invention is to provide a strap of the character described that can be manufactured by recycling used materials, particularly using seat belt components.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a strap of the character described that is economical.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a method for manufacturing straps of the character described using components from seat belts.
With regard to the foregoing and other objects, the present invention is directed to the recycling of a seat belt assembly of an automobile by taking components of the seat belt and making a strap member therefrom.
In a preferred embodiment, the strap includes as components an automobile seat belt buckle system including a male seat belt buckle member insertably retainable within a female seat belt buckle member, a pair of elongate strap members including a first length of seat belt strap material and a second length of seat belt strap material, first and second slip buckles, first and second connecting members, each including a length of sheet material having an aperture defined adjacent an end thereof.
The components are assembled by attaching the first length of seat belt strap material to the female seat belt buckle member and attaching the first connecting member to the first length of seat belt strap material opposite the female seat belt buckle member so that the end of the connecting member having the aperture is free. This provides a fixed length member.
An adjustable length member is made by attaching the second connecting member to the first slip buckles to provide a connecting/buckle member; attaching the second length of seat belt strap material to the male buckle member to provide a buckle/strap member having the male seat belt buckle defining one end thereof and a free end of the second length of seat belt strap material defining the other end thereof, slidably positioning the second slip buckle along the buckle/strap member intermediate the ends thereof, slidably positioning the connecting/buckle member along the buckle/strap member so that the connecting/buckle member is between the second slip buckle and the free end of the buckle/strap member, passing the free end of the buckle/strap member through a portion of the second slip buckle, and attaching the free end of the buckle/strap member to a portion of the second length of seat belt strap material to fix the position of the free end of the buckle/strap member relative to the second slip buckle.
As will be appreciated, the strap has aesthetic appeal unlike those of conventional straps. In a preferred embodiment, the aesthetics are further enhanced by incorporating one or more indicia bearing members onto the strap. These may be indicia also recycled from an automobile, such as a hood ornament or the like. In this regard, it will further be appreciated that the invention also promotes recycling of used automobile parts in a constructive and environmentally friendly manner.